SuperbikeColin Edwards (Castrol Honda - Michelin) returned towinning ways with
the 20th World Superbike victory of his career as he won the opening
race in Sunday's 11th round of the championship at the Oschersleben
circuit in Germany.

Edwards controlled the first 28-lap encounter, leading from start to
finish to beat on-form Ruben Xaus (Ducati Infostrada - Michelin) by 3.3
seconds.

But there was despair for Troy Bayliss (Ducati Infostrada - Michelin)
as the championship leader retired on the 22nd lap with mechanical
trouble and was then forced to watch Edwards - his closest rival in the
title chase - take the maximum 25 points.

Xaus went one better in the second race, catching and passing Edwards
on the sixth lap before easing away to take his first ever World
Superbike race win in style, crossing the line 10 seconds ahead of the
defending world champion.

Edwards was satisfied with his runner-up place after set-up problems
had affected his weekend in Germany while the determined Bayliss
bounced back for third place and to guarantee an all-Michelin podium.

Edwards arrived in Germany 53 points behind Bayliss but that margin
has been reduced to 24 points, less than a race win, with rounds at
Assen in Holland on Sunday and Imola, Italy on September 30 remaining.

SupersportFrenchman Fabien Foret took his first ever World Supersport race win
after a thrilling 28-lap race in Germany. The Ten Kate Honda team rider
led home his own team-mate Pere Riba as both riders celebrated signing
2002 deals last week by giving the team a 1-2 finish.

Andrew Pitt took third place to move to second place in the
championship with Paolo Casoli's fourth place enough to give him the
lead of the series after previous leader Jorg Teuchert crashed out on
the eighth lap.